Positive finish for TSX

Health-care stocks again top podium

The S&P/TSX Composite Index gained 68.82 points to close Monday at 16,082.31, off its highs of the day.

The Canadian dollar lost 0.18 cents to 76.75 cents.

Aurora Cannabis jumped $1.56, or 18.3%, to $10.10, the most on the index, after a media report that the world's largest beverage maker Coca Cola Co was in talks with the company to make marijuana-infused drinks.

Elsewhere, Canopy Growth hiked $1.64, or 2.7%, to $63.16.

Centerra Gold, which rose 31 cents, or 5.9%, to $5.50, was among the biggest gainers on the main index. Barrick Gold gained 33 cents, or 2.5%, to finish at $13.52.

RNC Minerals soared 11 cents, or 39.3%, to 39 cents, after the miner recovered a 43-kg specimen stone containing an estimated 1,100 ounces of gold and a second seven-kilogram specimen containing 190 ounces from Beta Hunt Mine in Australia.

In consumer discretionary issues, Magna International sank 85 cents, or 1.1%, to $69.74.

In things macroeconomic, Statistics Canada reported that foreign investment in Canadian securities reached $12.7 billion in July, mainly from acquisitions of federal government bonds. At the same time, Canadian investment in foreign securities totaled $13.1 billion, led by record purchases of foreign bonds.

Also, the Canadian Real Estate Association said national home sales via Canadian MLS Systems edged up by 0.9% in August 2018, marking a fourth consecutive monthly gain. However, CREA added, sales activity is still running below levels in most other months going back to early 2014.

ON BAYSTREET

The TSX Venture Exchange tacked on 4.2 points to close at 719.36

Eight of the 12 subgroups were higher, as health-care climbed 4.5%, while gold stocks acquired 2%, and materials strengthened 1.9%

The four laggards were weighed most by information technology, slipping 0.9%, energy, dipping 0.8%, and consumer discretionary stocks, sputtering 0.3%.

ON WALLSTREET

Stocks closed lower on Monday after President Donald Trump said an announcement on U.S.-China trade will be coming after the close. Steep losses in some of the biggest tech shares also pressured the broader market.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average slid 92.55 points to 26,062.12, ending a four-day winning streak, as Apple and Boeing lagged

The S&P 500 faded 16.18 points to 2,896.85, ending that index’s streak of five days of gains, with tech and consumer discretionary underperforming.

The NASDAQ plummeted 114.25 points, or 1.4%, to 7,895.79, notching its worst day since July 27 — as shares of Amazon, Apple and Micron fell.

Apple shares fell 2.6% amid fears it could be caught in the middle of a U.S.-China trade war. China is one of Apple's biggest markets. The tech giant said earlier this month that tariffs on Chinese goods could hurt its business.

Boeing shares fell 1.1%. The company is considered a bellwether for global trade given its exposure to overseas markets.

Twitter dropped 4.2% after MoffettNathanson reiterated its sell rating on the stock, noting cost growth should accelerate moving forward. The stock is now down about 40% from its 52-week high.

Amazon, meanwhile, declined 3.2% after an analyst at Citi suggested the company split into two to avoid antitrust scrutiny from the Trump administration. The stock also posted its worst day since April 24, when it dropped 3.8%.

Prices for the benchmark for the 10-year U.S. Treasury gained slightly, lowering yields to 2.99% from Friday’s 3%. Treasury prices and yields move in opposite directions.